WEC 40 April 5, 2009 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois Versus (9:00PM EST) 135 Lbs: Miguel Angel Torres (C) vs. Takeya Mizugaki 135 Lbs: Joseph Benavidez vs. Jeff "Big Frog" Curran 155 Lbs: Shane Roller vs. Ben Henderson 145 Lbs: Rafael Assuncao vs. Jameel Massouh 145 Lbs: Wagnney Fabiano vs. Fredson Paixao 135 Lbs: Manny Tapia vs. Akitoshi Tamura 145 Lbs: Rafael Dias vs. Mike Budnik 135 Lbs: Eddie Wineland vs. Rani Yahya 145 Lbs: Dominick Cruz vs. Ivan Lopez 155 Lbs: Anthony Njokuani vs. Bart Palaszewski
Notes on the event: -- WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres was slated to face undefeated top contender Bryan Bowles, but Bowles had to bow out due to injury. His replacement, Takeya Mizugaki, fights out of Shooting Gym Hakkei in Japan, and has a record of 11-2-2. -- Following two losses at featherweight to Urijah Faber and Mike Brown, Jeff Curran makes his bantamweight debut at WEC 40 against Joe Benavidez. Curran (29-11-1) has been trash-talking Torres in an attempt to get into the title picture immediately. Benavidez (9-0) has fought for eight different promotions in his young career. -- Jeff Curran has a controversial split decision victory over otherwise undefeated Brazilian Wagnney Fabiano, who also fights on this card. "The Silencer" (11-1) faces Jungle Fight veteran Fredson Paixao, who makes his WEC debut on this card as well.
I got Takeya Mizugaki for this match. I know its foolish to bet againist Torres but it seems like this might be the match where he loses. I'll probably be totally embarrassed for saying this though.
Mizugaki drew with Masakatsu Ueda, who is probably the #2 bantamweight (or #3 depending on where you put Bowles), so he has the skills. But Torres is such a firestorm. I just don't see him losing this fight.
always excited to see a WEC event. Never dull. I just wish they'd get at least 5 fights in over 2 hours dangit. Wagney should be on TV!
Weigh-in Results: Main Card: Miguel Torres (135) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (135) Joseph Benavidez (134) vs. Jeff Curran (135) Ben Henderson (156) vs. Shane Roller (156) Rafael Assuncao (145.5) vs. Jameel Massouh (146) Under Card: Anthony Njokuani (156) vs. Bart Palaszewski (155) Dominick Cruz (135) vs. Ivan Lopez (134.5) Wagnney Fabiano (146) vs. Fredson Paixao (144) Eddie Wineland (135) vs. Rani Yahya (136) Akitoshi Tamura (135.5) vs. Manny Tapia (135.5) Mike Budnik (149) vs. Rafael Dias (145)
crap, Tapia lost... again. maybe Tamura is adapting to fighting in the states or Fabiano is that damn good.
I'm excited for this to start to get going, WEC always puts on awesome shows. I like Mir commentating too.. he speaks well and fluently and knows his shit.
Mir is an awesome commentator. I liked having Jens comment on the last one. What he lacks in fluid commentating, he makes up for with an enthusiasm that is contagious. You can't help but like the guy. good first fight. I think Assunaco shoulda finished that fight.
Nice recovery by Henderson to recover from a shot, get out of a guillotine, have the instincts to not knee him or whack him when he's on the ground, and get him with a well timed punch.
it was still an early stoppage. When a guy pops right up like that and says WTF to the ref.. he was alright. Not wobbling at all.
Fight of the year! Fight of the year! Miguel Torres is the most exciting fighter in MMA right now. More so than Faber, GSP, Carwin, etc.. Every time the guy fights you stay magnetized to the screen. Such a talent. The first three rounds were very close but in the fourth and fifth Torres kept up his pace and Mizugaki became a counter puncher. I thought Mizugaki had harder punches and always seemed to be the one still moving forward at the end of an exchange but he was too one-dimensional. In the end Torres had caught on to his game plan and was able to control the final rounds. The WEC always puts on great shows.
Results: Miguel Torres (C) d. Takeya Mizugaki, Decision (Unanimous) Joseph Benavidez d. Jeff Curran, Decision (Unanimous) Ben Henderson d. Shane Roller, TKO Punches), R1 Rafael Assuncao d. Jameel Massouh, Decision (Unanimous) Anthony Njokuani d. Bart Palaszewski, TKO (Punches), R2 Dominick Cruz d. Ivan Lopez, Technical Decision (Unanimous), R3 Wagnney Fabiano d. Fredson Paixao, Decision (Unanimous) Rani Yahya d. Eddie Wineland, Submission (RNC), R1 Akitoshi Tamura d. Manny Tapia, Decision (Unanimous) Rafael Dias d. Mike Budnik, Decision (Unanimous)
